Point Reyes Light House - Point Reyes, California

Point Reyes Lighthouse Visitor Center Webcam

Some lighthouses welcome sailors to port; some lighthouses warn them of danger. Pt. Reyes Lighthouse was most certainly built to warn vessels away from a treacherous coastline that was the death of many ships.

Congress voted construction funds for a light back in 1852 but legal tussles with coastal bluff landowners delayed installation until 1870. Meanwhile, many more ships ran aground.

From past experience, lighthouse keepers had learned that placing a light too high atop California’s coastal cliffs diminished the light’s fog-penetrating effectiveness; thus, the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse was built about halfway down the 600-foot bluffs.

The odd placement of the station greatly increased its construction costs, as well as the costs of supplying it during its century of service. Nasty weather, isolation from the world, and the relentless bellow of the foghorn made the lot of the lighthouse keeper a difficult one and contributed to drinking and discipline problems. Some keepers went outright bonkers.

By some accounts, Point Reyes is the foggiest point on the Pacific Coast, and supposedly second only to Rhode Island’s Nantucket Island in the entire U.S. When the foggy curtain lifts, however, the lighthouse observation platform is a superb place from which to watch for migrating California gray whales. During the winter months, bring your binoculars and scan the horizon for the passing gentle giants.

The lighthouse visitor center is open Thursday through Monday, 10 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., weather permitting. Inquire at the center about tours of the facility.

A path and 308 stairs (like walking up and down the staircase of a 30-story building) comprise the route to the lighthouse.

Directions: From Highway 1 in Olema, drive north a short distance, then turn left on Sir Francis Drake Highway and drive north 18.5 miles to road’s end at the parking lot for Pt. Reyes Lighthouse.

Chimney Rock

So compelling is Pt. Reyes Lighthouse, most visitors don’t bother with the 2.8 miles round trip walk to Chimney Rock Overlook, which offers a panoramic view nearly equal to that of the lighthouse. You’ll travel a spring wildflower-lined path, glimpsing an old U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboat Station. While you might not be able to discern which offshore rock resembles a chimney, you will be able to view the coastline all the way to San Francisco on a clear day.

In spring, expect lots of wildflowers, including lupine, poppies and Douglas iris Experts have counted five-dozen species.

From December to February, don’t miss the short walk to Elephant Seal Overlook. The enormous, boisterous creatures re-colonized isolated Pt. Reyes beaches in the early 1980s. This is one of the best places to safely observe them.

A short walk leads to the Pt. Reyes Lifesaving Station, which was constructed in 1927 and continued in operation until 1968. Notwithstanding the mighty beacon of nearby Pt. Reyes Lighthouse, many shipwrecks occurred and there were many calls for the Coast Guard, whose brave men saved dozens of lives.

Directions: From Highway 101 in Olema, drive north a short distance, then turn left on Sir Francis Drake Highway and proceed 17.5 miles to the signed turnoff for Chimney Rock. Turn left and drive another mile to the parking area and signed trailhead.

The Light House at Point Reyes

Point Reyes National Park, Point Reyes, CA